The House has passed an omnibus public safety bill that would make a number of changes to law enforcement statutes.
The package includes several gun provisions that would bar medical providers from entering a patient’s gun ownership information into medical records if it isn’t related to the patient’s care or safety, prevent school faculty from asking a student about the gun ownership status of a parent, guardian or someone living with him or her and keep business owners from telling people not to keep guns in personal vehicles at their business.
It exempts crime scene photos and video from the state open records law with certain exceptions and repeals the expiration date of an exemption for plans for response to emergencies and terrorist attacks by law enforcement, public safety, first responders and public health officials.
It would allow for testing of patients that have potentially exposed health care providers to a contagious or infectious disease and for notification of health care workers when such a disease is diagnosed.
It also would enact so-called “right to work” language for law enforcement officers, and allow psychological stress to qualify a paid law enforcement officer for workers’ comp.
Finally it sets into law procedures for removal of an appointed chief law enforcement officer. The sponsor of that provision says it brings Missouri law into line with federal.
The package has been sent to the Senate.